The BJP crisis in Karnataka—ostensibly over the levy of a tax on mine owners, the turf war in Bellary over the flood rehabilitation, the overreach of Shobha Karandlaje, etc—has reached an interesting phase with the former Union minister H.N. Ananth Kumar‘s name being openly mentioned as the source of the fracas.

What started off as a pureplay Reddy Brothers’ attempt to dislodge B.S. Yediyurappa has assumed the contours of a full-fledged internecine battle, given Ananth Kumar’s proximity to L.K. Advani and the party’s interlocutor, Arun Jaitley.

Is Kumar firing from the shoulders of the Reddys? Is the Congress playing dirty, using he Reddys’ closeness to Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy‘s son, Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is also their business partner? Or is Yediyurappa himself responsible for what’s happening, given his style of functioning?

Or, is this crisis only to have been expected given the manner in which the BJP government was formed?

5 comments

The BJP Govt was formed on the strength of suitcases filled with currency notes.
The fact that this was even labeled operation lotus, speaks about how closely the party associates itself with Donkey trading.

Ananth Kumar

AK is probably an important pawn, but a pawn all the same.
Like any good Delhi Wallah in the BJP, he is busy trying to figure what his left and right hand are doing

Reddy & Bros

The Reddy Brothers are controlled by their own greed and avarice. The only thing they control is the volume of suitcases entering and leaving their vigil

Rahul Baba Partywallahs

The Congress, is not smart enough to start a mutiny in a rival party.
They have too many dissidents in their own camp.
Everybody is busy sucking up to Rahul Gandhi or somebody who says he sucks up to Rahul everyday.
There is hardly a leader in that party who has their head in a place where the sun shines.

All of the above
Unlikely.

Vasstu and Astrology

Waiting for Yeddi to give this as the excuse and declare that the Reddy and Bros has nothing to do with bad Vastu.
Will probably call for renovation of the Vidhan Soudha and call for a construction of Urinal in middle of his dining table.

A clever ploy by Yeddi’s supporters. Defame and accuse Anathakumar and stay hooked to power. That is their strategy. Yeddi and Shobakka are alone to be blamed for the present crisis. Yaaru Thaledanda Koduththaaro nodabeku!

Looks like our Hudco Ananthu is the propeller behind these war games. However it would be a miracle if he actually gets to be the CM. But then he may be playing for lesser stakes – Yeddy’s head to roll even if it doesn’t mean he getting the gaddi.

I can think of 2 scenarios:

– Yeddy retains his seat. However his wings will be severely clipped. He would lose possibly the ‘queen’ and ‘joker/s’ of the pack. Probably will have to lead a heavily compromised Govt.

– Yeddy goes and Shettar comes in. Reddy Bros and Ananthu would be kept away and Yeddy would still have a major say in the allocation of portfolios.

But the sad fact is Karnataka would be hobbled. Because whatever is the solution for the current crisis, instability will be the by-word for months or years to come.